Vintage Viru - Sehwag showed us just how destructive he can be

This is my 6th article for ESPN Cricinfo Portal. This is for IPL T20 Tournament Qualifier 2 Match Review between Chennai Super Kings vs Kings XI Punjab played at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai on 30th May, 2014 and published on ESPN Cricinfo, next day morning.

Choice of game
It's not every year that Mumbai gets to host an eliminator and a qualifier, so I had decided to watch the matches irrespective of who made it.

Team supported
I supported Kings XI Punjab, because they have been the surprise champion performers in this year's tournament. Nobody expected them to perform so well. Credit must go to all the team players, support staff and the management. After all these years they deserved a chance to lay their hands on the IPL trophy, or make it to the finals once.

Key performer
Virender Sehwag's 122 off 58 balls was a swashbuckling innings that brought back memories of the vintage Viru, like the time he scored 293 runs in a day in a Test against Sri Lanka in Mumbai in 2009.

Two things I'd have changed about the match
I would have given Raina a life. He was carting the Kings XI bowlers across stadium and it did not seem like they could get him out. Running him out looked like the only possibility of dismissing him. If Raina had stayed at the crease, batting much longer, the match result could have been different, or at least much closer.

I would also have wanted to see MS Dhoni bat higher up the CSK batting order, ahead of Ravindra Jadeja and David Hussey, given that they were chasing a stiff target. His presence at the crease would have helped the team's cause.

Face-off I relished
Mitchell Johnson hasn't lived up to the team's expectations yet, so a magical spell was due for him. He can bounce as well as swing the ball prodigiously and it would have been interesting to see how Dwayne Smith counterattacked Johnson. Same with Glenn Maxwell versus R Ashwin and Jadeja.

However, neither of these encounters panned out. Instead, it was Sehwag v all of CSK's bowlers. Even the best bowlers look ordinary when he is batting like he did today.

Wow moment
Raina scored 33 off Parvinder Awana in the sixth over. At the end of the over, he was on course for the fastest century ever by any batsman in all formats of the game.

In the 18th over, Dhoni, trying to hit Johnson out of the ground and not succeeding, called for a new bat. But he was bowled off the next ball, only to find it was a no-ball!

Close encounter
When Chennai fielded Mohit Sharma, Suresh Raina and Ravindra Jadeja were near the boundary. Raina waved back to the crowd when they cheered for him. For Punjab, Maxwell was very popular with the crowd, who cheered for him whenever he came to the boundary to field.

Shots of the day
The sixes hit by Sehwag off Jadeja in the 18th over: he first slammed a length ball over long-on to bring up the team's 200, and then one ball later, flat-batted a shot to the same region.

Crowd meter
The Wankhede Stadium was packed. The crowd seemed to be enjoying every moment of the match even though it wasn't the home team. There were supporters for Chennai and Punjab. The Mexican wave was in full flow from the beginning of the match.

Entertainment
The atmosphere at the Wankhede was livelier than it had been at Brabourne for the eliminator. The DJ played popular Bollywood songs. The party-like atmosphere at the stadium could be felt after the first-innings break since the crowd had been entertained by a Sehwag special.

Banner of the day
"Keep Calm and Enjoy the Maxwell Storm".

Overall
9. My experience was amazing. We got a good all-round view of the stadium from where we were seated. I think this is the best IPL match I have watched so far. There were no expectations as neutral fan. All the earlier games that I had watched at the Wankhede had been one-sided. Sehwag and Raina's innings were memorable.

Chennai spoil Mumbai's party - And the DJ ruined the spectator's party

This is my 5th article for ESPN Cricinfo Portal. It's the IPL T20 Tournament Eliminator Match Review between Mumbai Indians vs  Chennai Super Kings played at the Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai on 28th May, 2014 and published on ESPN Cricinfo, next morning.

Choice of game

Since Mumbai was hosting the eliminator and a qualifier game, I decided to go for both. I am a Mumbai Indians fan, but this time I wanted Chennai Super Kings to win, because they are one of the most consistent teams in the IPL. They are a strong team. They have a powerful batting line-up who chase down any opposition's score in the game well.

Team supported

Though Mumbai managed to somehow qualify for this eliminator and the home crowd was vociferously supporting them, I knew in the back of my mind, even before the match started, that Chennai would win it.

Key performer

Suresh Raina was due for a big score in the tournament not having done that well in this year's tournament so far. The unbroken fourth-wicket partnership of Suresh Raina and David Hussey won the game hands on for CSK. For Mumbai, Lendl Simmons was the key performer. He has been consistent as an opening batsman for them and scored a well-deserved half-century.

One thing I'd have changed about the match

I would have changed the DJ, who was not really entertaining the spectators before the start, during the match or even during the mid-innings.

Face-off I relished

Corey Anderson had just played one of the best T20 innings, and is the reason why Mumbai made it to the eliminator game. R Ashwin has been one of the consistent bowlers for his team. After a quickfire 20 off 10 balls, Anderson tried to sweep Ashwin, but top-edged him to Ishwar Pandey at deep backward square leg.

Wow moment

After the first six hit by Kieron Pollard went flying into the crowd at midwicket, the big screen flashed the message: "Ab ki baar, stadium ke paar [This time outside the stadium]". Pollard tried to oblige, hitting a very high aerial shot off Ashish Nehra, but it was held by Mohit Sharma.

Shots of the day

Simmons hit two sixes after he got to his half-century. He first hit Ravindra Jadeja for a one in the 15th over, the ball effortlessly clearing long-off, and then Nehra in the 16th over long-on.

Hardship factor

Getting to the stadium and exiting it were very easy since it is located just opposite the Churchgate railway station. I reached the stadium early to secure a good seat. The security checks were quick. There were no specific seat numbers allocated. The seating was spacious, and the chairs were comfortable, though you hardly sit and watch while the game is on.

Entertainment

Sixes were followed by smoke released from machines installed in various locations around the stadium. Before the match began, someone from the broadcasting team flew what looked like a remote-controlled camera to record the crowd, which waved at it.

Before the match began, they showed the live telecast of the first qualifier in Kolkata, so we got to watch that.

Overall

8. Chennai were the better team and the deserving winners. The experience of watching the game at the Brabourne Stadium was a refreshing change as compared to the regular experience at the Wankhede Stadium. The crowd atmosphere was good, though it could have been noisier, with more slogans and at least one Mexican wave.

The link to the article on ESPN Cricinfo Portal
http://www.espncricinfo.com/thestands/content/story/748587.html

'Please don't leave cricket, Sachin. KKR didn't really show up, but Tendulkar did. What's to complain

This is my 4th article for ESPN Cricinfo. It's IPL T20 Tournament Game Review between Mumbai Indians vs  Kolkatta Knight Riders played at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai on 7th May, 2013 and published on website on 8th May 

Choice of game

Kolkata Knight Riders' is among the most inspirational stories in the IPL. Given their history, nobody would have expected them to do well in 2012, but they scripted a magnificent turn-around to win the title. I badly wanted to see a champion team in action, so I booked my tickets for this game.

Team supported

I was backing KKR to win, since that would have kept them in contention and kept the tournament interesting.

Key performer

Sachin Tendulkar 48 runs off 28 deliveries that included eight boundary hits. His batting might shows no signs of waning even at the age of 40. His opening stand with Dwayne Smith for 93 runs formed the base for Mumbai to pile on a challenging total.

One thing I'd have changed about the match

Sachin Tendulkar was batting beautifully on 48 and the crowd was expecting him to get to his half-century when Rajat Bhatia was bowling. The chants of "Sachin, Sachin" could be heard around the Wankhede, but he was bowled by Bhatia. I would have liked to see him score more. That would have been memorable and would have given us something to remember for ages.

Face-off I relished

I was eagerly looking forward to Sunil Narine v Sachin Tendulkar since Narine had dismissed Tendulkar the last time these two teams played. I was also interested in Narine v Dwayne Smith, who has been the answer to Mumbai's opening woes. Of course, this face-off did not pan out as Sunil Narine was preserved for the final overs. L Balaji bowled an economical spell to the two Mumbai opening batsmen but he did not get support from the opposite end.

Wow moment

The smart catch by Eoin Morgan at deep midwicket to dismiss Rohit Sharma made me go 'Wow'. Morgan caught the ball near the boundary, but realised that the momentum would make him over-balance. So he immediately threw the ball high up in the air before stepping over, then regained his balance and completed the catch.

Close encounter

Kieron Pollard and Lasith Malinga fielded near the boundary for a while. Whenever Pollard and Malinga walked near the edge, there were huge cheers from the crowd welcoming them. Both were kind enough to wave back to the crowd. There was also a banner put up by a fan urging Pollard to display some Caribbean style dance moves.

Shot(s) of the day

The stand-out shots were Tendulkar's five boundaries off McLaren in the fourth over of the game, which brought the crowd alive. Another outstanding stroke was Mitchell Johnson's six off the last ball of the Mumbai innings. The crowd was chanting - "We want six, we want six" - and Johnson obliged by thrashing the ball over the long-off boundary.

Crowd meter

Though the stadium was packed, I felt the buzz was lacking. Mumbai's players had the loudest cheers reserved for them by the crowd.

Fancy dress index

In the North Stand, I could spot a group of spectators wearing the Mumbai jersey, along with Anna Hazare type Gandhian caps on. There were an entire range of Malinga wigs in different colors like blue and yellow. All of this made the game look like a carnival and not just another T20 game.

Entertainment

The music started as early as 6.30 pm, and got the crowd excited and ready for the game. The cheerleaders from both the teams duly joined in by entertaining the crowd with their acrobatic moves. The DJ took responsibility to start the Mexican wave from the fourth over of the match. The music continued till 10 in the night. There was thunderous applause from the crowd during the presentation ceremony when Tendulkar was announced as Man of the Match.

Banner of the day

"Take 20 years of my Life, but please don't leave cricket. Love you Sachin" - this was on a banner in our stand.

Overall

Full marks to the organisers for living up to the crowd's expectations. The quality of cricket dished out by both the teams was good too, though I'd have preferred to see a better fight from KKR.

Marks out of 10 

I'd give this game 7 points. This is probably the last time I'll see Tendulkar play at the Wankhede Stadium. It is not clear if he may play the IPL tournament next year. So I will savour this moment and tell stories of it for ages to come. This game's tickets were planned and booked online well in advance. So everything worked out just fine.

Please find below the link to the article on ESPN Cricinfo Website - 
http://www.espncricinfo.com/thestands/content/story/634635.html

The summer holidays entertainment package - It’s just another way to describe the IPL

This is my 3rd fan following article for ESPNCricinfo. This article is a review of the IPL T20 Game between Mumbai Indians vs Royal Challengers Bangalore played at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai on 27th April, 2013.

Choice of game
I wanted to see the Don Bradman of Twenty20 cricket, Chris Gayle. I had also never seen Sachin Tendulkar in a match at the stadium. Mumbai Indians had other star players in Kieron Pollard and Lasith Malinga in their team while the Royal Challengers Bangalore had AB De Villiers, Tillakaratne Dilshan and Virat Kohli. The chance to see all these players in action compelled me to go.

As a Mumbai supporter, I wanted my team to win a closely fought game in which Gayle would play a good knock.

Key performer
Even though Dwayne Smith scored a half-century and took two wickets, it was Dhawal Kulkarni's three top-order wickets that clinched the win for Mumbai.

One thing I'd have changed
I would have reversed the lbw decision given to Tendulkar, because he was batting really well and had laid the foundation for a big score.

Face-off I relished
It was fun to watch Malinga bowl against Dilshan and Gayle. Mitchell Johnson bowled Gayle a few short ones and the batsman responded with a six.

Wow moment
Harbhajan Singh did the Gangnam Style dance once he got Gayle out caught by Ambati Rayudu at the boundary. The entire crowd got up and celebrated.

Close encounter
RP Singh, Jaidev Unadkat and Chris Gayle fielded near the boundary for the Royal Challengers and Kulkarni, Harbhajan and Tendulkar for Mumbai. The biggest cheers were reserved for Tendulkar, who dived to save a boundary from Arun Karthik off Harbhajan's bowling. Johnson's six off Ravi Rampaul came to our side of the boundary.

Shot of the day
In the first over of the match, Tendulkar hit Rampaul for a boundary that flew between keeper and first slip. We watched with bated breath till it crossed the rope.

Crowd meter
The stadium was full. There were a few Royal Challengers supporters in the stands, but most of the spectators had come to cheer Mumbai. When Pollard walked in to bat, there was a huge cheer. Virat Kohli didn't receive any such welcome when he came in to bat, because of his having run out Rayudu during Mumbai's innings. In fact, during the presentation ceremony, Kohli was booed by the spectators.

Hardship factor
Compared to my earlier experiences, this time round it was easy getting into the stadium since I had tickets for Garware Pavilion Stand, which is one of the best stands at the Wankhede. I didn't have to queue up to get inside the stadium nor push through a crowd while getting out. From our seats, we could get a 360-degree view of the stadium.

Fancy-dress index
I saw a spectator sporting a M.A.R.D (Men Against Rape and Discrimination) moustache. He also wore a face mask of Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi at the back of his head. Another spectator had a scary look with his hair raised and a scary face mask. Someone tried to look like Gayle by tying a black handkerchief over his hair.

Entertainment
Iron Man and Spiderman entertained the crowd before the match, dancing to Bollywood songs.

ODIs or Twenty20s
I prefer T20s currently since they are three-hour long entertainment packages that can be enjoyed on weekend evenings in a stadium along with a huge crowd. The IPL is just not a cricket tournament; it's a summer holidays entertainment package to look forward to every year.

Banner of the day
There was an "IPL Come to Goa" banner. On seeing it, my friend remarked that if the IPL had a team from Goa, it could be called "Panjim Panthers" and if it performed badly, it could be renamed "Go Goa Gone".

TV v Stadium
The experience of watching a match at the stadium is more enjoyable than on TV, because you not only get to see the match, but also enjoy the crowd, the excitement, the entertainment, the chants and the slogans. Time flies when you're in the stadium.

Marks out of ten
6, because it was a one-sided match. There was virtually no fight from the Royal Challengers.

Here’s the link to the report on ESPN Cricinfo Website 
http://www.espncricinfo.com/thestands/content/story/632770.html

Wankhede's first

Here is my fan following report on the India v England, second Twenty20, played at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on December 22nd, 2012

The Mumbai stadium's maiden Twenty20 international was an affair to remember

Choice of game

The Wankhede Stadium was hosting its first Twenty20 international which was also the first India match I was watching live at a ground. The series was set up nicely by India's emphatic win in Pune the day before. If India were to win this match and the next two against Pakistan, they would have become the No. 1 T20 team. My prediction was an India victory since the team had been playing well in the shorter formats. 

Team supported

India.

Key performer

England captain Eoin Morgan has already built a reputation for himself as a dangerous player in the limited-overs formats. He plays the sort of finishing role for England that Michael Bevan used to play for Australia, and now Michael Hussey. 

One thing I'd have changed

I wanted Eoin Morgan's wicket - bowled, caught, run out - off the last ball of match, rather than have to watch him hit it for a six out of the ground. I would have also liked to have seen more of Virat Kohli, given the aggressiveness in his batting and the kind of boundary shots he played. It was a delight to watch him bat in full flow. I could see the attacking intent in his batting from his stance. He certainly looked determined to turn on the heat against England but the innings was unfortunately cut short. 

Face-off I relished

Since several stars were being rested, it was a chance for players like Ashok Dinda, Parwinder Awana and even Yuvraj Singh, who was dropped from the Test side, to cement their places in the side.

Wow moment

Apart from Morgan's last-ball six hit, Yuvraj's three wickets were impressive in the match. When the English openers got going and India couldn't break the stand, the crowd asked for Yuvraj to be given a chance. When he was finally given a bowl, he dismissed Michael Lumb off his second ball. The expectations increased when he came to bowl his second over, and once again he obliged by trapping Luke Wright plumb in front of the wicket. In his final over, he managed to get rid of the dangerous Alex Hales. 

Close encounter

Since my seat was in the North Stand near the sight screen, there was always a fielder present near the boundary rope. We got a close look at Tim Bresnan, Jade Dernbach, Wright, Stuart Meaker, Awana, Dinda, Ajinkya Rahane, R Ashwin and Rohit Sharma. Indian fans never miss a chance to call or heckle any fielder who comes to the boundary, and it was sporting of Dernbach and Wright to acknowledge the crowd with smiles. Ashwin gave us a thumbs-up after being welcomed him with "Vanakkam!" which is "hello" in Tamil. The crowd also told Awana that they'd forgive him for dropping a catch if he took a wicket.

Shot of the day

The last-ball six hit by Morgan, which reminded me of the famous Javed Miandad hit in Sharjah in 1986, was the shot of the day. The entire stadium was standing, hoping for a win for India. My colleague was waiting to record the moment on his phone but all he captured was the six out of the park. Last-ball sixes have become a regular feature in cricket since the introduction of T20s. Who can forget Dwayne Smith hitting Ben Hilfenhaus for three sixes in the last over to seal a win for Mumbai Indians against Chennai Super Kings at the Wankhede earlier this year?

Crowd meter

As the match progressed, the stadium slowly filled up. The only empty stands I saw were near the Vijay Merchant Pavilion side. There were three-to-four-year-old kids dressed in Indian jerseys with faces painted in the Indian tricolor. Their parents hoisted them up on their shoulders and made them cheer for the Indian team. The Mexican wave started early, from the second over the match, and gained momentum as the Indian innings progressed, particularly when Dhoni and Raina were batting in full flow. 

Fancy-dress index

There were the usual colourful Lasith Malinga wigs around, but the best one was from a spectator on the second level of the North Stand who wore the mask of a grumpy old man but was dancing and rejoicing when India were batting. He was cheered by the crowd in his stand and also caught the attention of those in other stands. 

Entertainment

Surprisingly there was no music or mid-innings entertainment, nor were there any cheerleaders, who could have boosted the spirits of the Indian bowlers. We got to see Sunil Gavaskar, Kapil Dev, Navjot Sidhu, and Sourav Ganguly when they were walking back to their commentary box positions. They got cheers and duly acknowledged them. 

ODIs or Twenty20s

I prefer T20s because the fast-paced action and thrilling moments are packed into three hours like a Hollywood movie. There are enough ups and downs during the three hours to make the experience enjoyable, and like a movie, the match is conveniently played in the evenings.

Banner of the day

"Unleash the Helicopter Shot", "If Dhoni plays well, India sleeps well" and "England, here's the way to the Airport". 

Practice makes you perfect

I reached the stadium almost an hour and a half early, and saw England practising on the field. India came out after some time. I wish they had come out to practise earlier or at the same time as England. I saw a few Indian bowlers practise hitting one stump and wondered whether they could have hit that stump had Alastair Cook been standing in front of it with a bat. 

Marks out of ten

10 for the close finish. The better team won.

Link to the article on ESPNCricinfo's website -

http://www.espncricinfo.com/page2/content/current/story/598329.html

This article about the IPL Twenty20 Cricket Tournament Match between Mumbai Indians vs Delhi Dardevils played at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai on 16th April Evening was first published on ESPNcricinfo Website on April 17, 2012.

No satisfaction in a quickie

What a bummer when a highly anticipated match between two heavyweights turns out to be a dud

Choice of game
Both the Mumbai Indians and the Delhi Daredevils have a lot of star players, like Sachin Tendulkar, Lasith Malinga, Kieron Pollard, Harbhajan Singh, Richard Levi, Virender Sehwag, Kevin Pietersen, Mahela Jayawardene and Ross Taylor. I thought the match would be an exciting contest between two evenly balanced teams, with loads of hitting, fours, sixes and wickets.

Also, this was the first IPL match I watched live in a stadium. I went with 12 friends to make the experience more exciting and enjoyable.


Team supported
Mumbai, because they are my home team.


Key performer
Man of the Match Shahbaz Nadeem, the Daredevils' left-arm spinner, bowled a tight spell opening spell in which he took two wickets and ensured Mumbai never got to a start. Another standout performer was Mumbai captain Harbhajan Singh, for while he was at the crease, it looked like Mumbai would put up a competitive total.


One thing I'd have changed
I'd have played both Tendulkar and Malinga. Mumbai didn't look like the champion team they are supposed to be without their two star players. Tendulkar's presence makes a huge difference to the team and the spectators. Get well soon, Sachin. We want to see you playing for Mumbai in the next match.


Wow moment
The Mexican wave around the stadium was exciting.


Close encounter
For the Daredevils, Morne Morkel and Pietersen fielded near the boundary where I was sitting. And for Mumbai, it was Levi. It is very easy to recognise these tall players even from a distance.
Levi ran to his left and dived to save what looked like a certain boundary from a Sehwag cut shot, keeping it to a single. That was the fielding save of the match.


Shot of the day
Only one shot went skywards in the match, played by Sehwag, and it ended up being a catch at long-on for Levi.


Crowd meter
The stands were packed and the support for Mumbai was excellent. A spectator seated a few rows ahead of me seemed to be enjoying every moment of the match irrespective of which team was doing better. He was blowing on the bugle every now and then and dancing on his seat. He celebrated boundaries as well as wickets, and it was nice to see him enjoy the match that way.


Entertainment
The DJ tried to cheer up Mumbai and boost their morale by playing "Yahan Ke Hum Sikander" from the movie Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikander
During the mid-innings break, some fans got the opportunity to take catches off Mumbai batsmen and to keep the ball they caught.


ODIs or Twenty20s
I prefer Twenty20s because the game is completed in three hours, unlike ODIs and Tests which occupy your whole day. You can watch a T20 after office hours, and thus enjoy a good evening out too. And there is entertainment guaranteed in T20 via hits to the fence.


Banner of the day
There was a banner that looked like a dartboard. It said a prize of Rs10,000 will be given to anyone who hits the target. It was probably an incentive offered to Mumbai's batsmen to go out and play their shots and hit the target. But unfortunately, that didn't happen.


TV v stadium
I'd recommend watching in stadium any time, especially if you go with a big group of people. You cannot relive the excitement, the buzz around the ground, the energy, the crowd's enthusiasm, the wacky humour associated with a certain player or a team if you are watching the match on TV. A three-hour match in a packed stadium is as good as watching a blockbuster movie in a theatre.


The low-scorers
It's probably too early to judge, but after this match I recalled the words of IPL chairman Rajeev Shukla before the tournament. He said the fifth season of the IPL was probably going to be the best so far because the governing council had instructed stadium curators to prepare 160-run pitches so that the crowds will get entertained by all the fours and sixes. Perhaps the curators are sending him a message to not tell them what to do.


Marks out of 10
6, mainly because of the experience of watching the match live in a stadium. I would have scored it better had the match been more competitive, had Mumbai scored more runs, and had Sachin and Malinga played.

Career Chase

This is my second article for career guide magazine

Today, we have to and must to do for ourselves that which in the previous decades was determined by our family upbringing, culture, tradition & values. Gone are the days of taking up responsibility of father’s family business, job security and a settled defined and routine life. Gone are the days of one life equals one career. Today we have to do everything on our own; we have to come up with our own system to seek meaning and make sense of our lives. The sooner we do it, the better. In my experience, every one of us will pass through this stage once in their life. How we deal with it and come out of it will determine the road ahead in our life – more meaningful with plenty of success.

I suggest the following steps to be followed properly with care and diligence to avoid facing such a scenario midway in one’s life thus also empowering one to deal & handle it better:-

1. There is no such thing as the good old days. Things are changing everyday. They are becoming more different and complex. There is no quick fix solution to a problem. New ways of understanding the roots of change have to be developed. We have to look for new forms of work and new approaches for self – help, and invent new services. We have to train ourselves and be ready for the future. The key to thriving in today’s world at any age is learning, unlearning and relearning. Learning “new tricks” is a continuous process for people who are open to new ideas and who welcome opportunities to grow and change. They engage in genuine self – renewal and growth; develop flexibility. One has to learn to be more independent and resourceful.

2. In today’s age there is no conclusive evidence that people who make the most money are happier or feel better about themselves. There is no direct correlation between career success, happiness, and high self-esteem with status, money, and upward mobility. Finding one’s meaning and mission may be the most critical step to happiness, however we define it. Mission, not money, motivates: Only purpose fights our fear of nothingness.

3. You are in charge of your career. No one is coming to rescue your career but you! If you are not in charge, no one is! If you don’t know what you want or need for your success, no one does. If you don’t have this wisdom, acquire it. This is what career planning is all about.

4. To assure career satisfaction, select your career based on what fits your individual skills, interests, motivations, and values, and balance these with projected opportunities. Never base a career selection solely on the anticipated job market. If it isn’t a match for you, success will be difficult for you to achieve and maintain, and you may never be able to value your success or translate it into high self-esteem.

5. Superior performance will be automatically recognized and rewarded. It holds true in the long run, but it also requires a lot of patience, persistence, determination, dedication, honesty and hard work. The final fruits of labor are sweet, but it takes time. Don’t seek instant gratification. Be willing to be disappointed once in a while. Don’t be disheartened if you feel that you did not get the praise or recognition you deserved. The best qualified people do not necessarily get the best jobs or the most money unless they have a keen awareness of how these things happen in their workplace.

6. The road to success is checkered with failures, false starts, and frequently grave mistakes. Addiction to perfectionism and fear of failure are deadly dictums to career success and creativity. If you spend most of your psychic energy concentrating on your weaknesses, you will neglect your strengths. You need to know your strengths – what you do well naturally – and focus on taking these skills to their highest level. The myth that successful people make no mistakes is highly incorrect. You will never learn, if you do not make mistakes.

7. Success in both personal and career life is a juggling act. To do this successfully we must identify, choose, and attend to our top priorities. Never sacrifice your private life for professional success for it may then not last long. There has to be an equal balance between both. That is the real challenge.

Conclusion: Understanding these above – mentioned points and reinforcing them time and again would enable the discerning reader to gain better control over one’s career.